LEXUS SALES AT RECORD LEVELS IN 2018

Lexus has advanced its sales to record levels, selling more vehicles in the first four months of 2018 than for the same period of any previous year.

In a first for Lexus, the luxury carmaker has broken through the 3,000-mark in total sales before the end of April.

The luxury brand's total of 3,026 sales so far this year represents a gain of 2.8 per cent on the same period in 2017.

Sales are also higher than the previous January-April best of 2,988 deliveries achieved in 2016, a foundation that enabled Lexus to achieve record full-year sales.

To the end of April this year, sales of Lexus SUVs - the NX, RX and LX Lines - have risen 18.8 per cent to 2,095 vehicles. Demand is almost 12-per-cent higher than for the same period in the 2016 record year.

Last month, Lexus lifted its sales to 830 vehicles - an increase of 20.5 per cent compared with April last year. It achieved its highest monthly market share since November 2010.

The result included growth of 53.8 per cent for its SUVs with the NX Line posting a gain of 33.2 per cent, the RX Line 109.4 per cent and the LX Line 17.2 per cent.

The RX mid-size luxury SUV, now in its fourth generation, has benefited from the February introduction of seven-seat variants. Lexus also recently added twin-turbo V8 diesel power to the LX Line in the shape of the LX 450d.

Lexus Australia chief executive Scott Thompson said recently arrived flagship models such as the LS sedan during April and the LC coupe in mid-2017 had elevated the perception of the brand and helped boost overall sales.

"Lexus plans are focused on growth with further development of our luxury lifestyle brand including the arrival of the mid-size ES sedan with its advanced self-charging hybrid-electric system in 2018 and our first urban compact crossover, the UX, in 2019," Mr Thompson said.